One Size Fits All???

It just occurred to me that there is a misconception out there in the community that the IATSE only has one contract! One size fits all.
Not so.
We negotiate many different types of agreements, including high-budget studio tentpole movies, low budget indies, made-for-the-internet, and commercials.
Rates in New York have historically been different than those in Los Angeles. Vancouver has its own production local and unique terms and conditions. Sometimes, when a new employer is organized, union conditions are phased in to allow them to adjust gradually.
There are different conditions when on a distant location than when work is performed at the studio.
I'm guessing the same will be true in visual effects, at least in the beginning. We'll take into account the size of the employer, the nature of the work performed, the number of employees, and the special needs that employer presents.
Similarly, we'll be flexible about creating a new entity to represent artists. If Supervisors want a separate local, we'd consider that. If Local 839 alumni want to retain their membership in that local, that might work. We think most of you would want a brand new ubiquitous local combining all visual effects artists, but frankly we need more feedback from you guys on that point.
When push comes to shove; we're a democracy. And like our American democracy, sometimes that makes things more complicated. But, in the end, it's a lot better than a monarchy, a dictatorship, or anarchy.
Let me know what you want....
Jimmy
vfx@iatse-intl.org